red meat is fine
A sharper steak knife will provide relief.
Study just out that red meat digested
in the gut markedly increases death rate in those classed as “heart failure” patients.
So, I hope that leaves us out.
!!!
me too. I don’t think I can reverse the amage at this point!
on the beach…
I was almost running half marathons clearing a lung infection. Developed muscle and joint aches.
Early library internet said RED MEAT RED MEAT ELIMINATE RED MEAT
thus reducing symptoms of rheumatism and arthritis.
I was on St George Island. I stopped red meat and pork. Not that I was gorging on ether, maybe 3 times a week,
Two weeks later, joint aches disappeared and I ran up past 13 miles no problem.
Today, fish and once in a chicken.
well that’s a huge sample size
Certainly it must work for everyone then!
Without a medical diagnosis
I can’t be certain, but it is safe to treat this as carpal tunnel syndrome in the short term.
If this is being caused or worsened by paddling, there are things that can be done.
- If you are actually gripping the paddle, stop. Open the hand and cradle the paddle between thumb and forefinger in the “push” cycle of your stroke and cradle the paddle in the 4 fingers during the pull cycle. Gripping the paddle, especially with force, is likely to lead to wrist problems because muscles under constant stress decrease blood flow to tissues and the contractions at the muscle ends alter the path the ligaments take through the carpal tunnel, often causing inflammation. Relax the grip.
- Change the feather on the paddle - I use none, others use a lot. Studies suggest that degree of feather is a factor because the wrist often is cocked at the tail end of the stroke. This may or may not be a problem for you, but consider reducing or removing feather if it is.
- This is a very slow healing injury. Without rest, possibly immobilization when the symptoms are worse, the healing process is further slowed. Computer work probably will not be considered rest unless you can find a way to not further impact the tendons.
- If lifting a coffee cup is painful, you have a fairly significant amount of pain and need to consider giving this a couple of weeks to begin healing. Don’t grip anything that requires a significant closing of the hand for a while (ie. the handle of a mug is tiny, the barrel of the mug is wide, so grip the barrel as lightly as you comfortably can - this may require wrapping some insulation around the hand - or the mug itself - but gripping tightly sounds as though it will be painful and cause further injury)
- As someone pointed out - no hand tools. The static force you have to use, and the vibrations they often make, will not help this heal at all.
- See a doctor and get a diagnosis that confirms the condition. You don’t want to need surgery and you may be getting close to the point where a doctor might recommend same.
Good luck,
Rick
#2, good advice
That worked for me early on when I had the first of my many wrist problems. Setting my feather so that no wrist-cocking was necessary on a high-angle stroke. When I rotate and plant, the blade is already at the correct angle.
Death grip
Agreed - Very important point about not actively gripping the paddle shaft. Focus on pushing and pulling with as little gripping as possible.
A poorly designed paddle blade will tend to rotate the paddle about its axis, forcing you to grip it to stop the rotation. Better designed paddles and especially GP and Aleut paddles do not cause rotation of the paddle about the shaft axis.
Not
eating red meat for a few weeks as an experiment should not discomfort you or your butcher.
Search for something like: cure aching joints
Not
eating red meat for a few weeks as an experiment should not discomfort you or your butcher.
Search for something like: cure aching joints
feather without cocking wrists
A lot of folks suggesting if you cock your wrists using a feathered paddle, stop using a feathered paddle.
Alternatively, since you use a feathered paddle, just stop cocking your wrists when you use it. Everything with wrist control and paddling is a disciplined practice, muscle memory/muscle building thing. The angle of the shaft, bent, straight, feathered, unfeathered, or whatever,in relation to anything fixed - let’s figure in relation to the kayak itself - is constantly changing. Good technique dictates that your wrists are not what you use to adjust to the constantly changing angle of the shaft. Wrists are too prone to repetitive flex issues. If you put on a brace that forces your wrists to stay straight, do you really think you will be unable to use your feathered paddle?
It must have been taught at some point to still be such a wildly popular belief. But it makes no more sense than to believe your wrists have to flex side to side as the shaft angle changes in relation to the kayak. And that part is more difficult to catch onto how to control it - with torso rotation is ideal for that part. For this part, hold your hands up at your shoulders. Now lift your elbow 30, 45, 60, 75, 90 degrees - whatever your feather is. Without some physical disability, you start using it, it becomes muscle memory, you don’t think about it anymore. Your hand is ready to push, your shoulder is rolled forward a little in a strong position with your arm, your wrist isn’t cocked, all’s well.
Hey hamma.
Stop working around the house. Problem solved.
no one’s saying that
What people are saying is to adjust feather angle so that the blade face is aligned properly when one plants it. Due to the variables in strokes and stroke angles, this will be dependent on feather angle - no one feather angle fits all stroke angles.
I think we’re saying the same thing.
I wasn’t figuring anyone would be planting the blade at an off angle as an option. I was taking the blade being in proper position to begin the forward stroke as a given.
I’m not sure I understand completely. I think you may be suggesting that the body mechanics that someone uses are more fixed than I would imagine them to be. So either they cock their wrist, or they have an improper plant. And a solution is to remove feather. Then they can keep everything the same, not cock their wrists, and still have a good plant. I’m not denying that as a solution. I’m just suggesting that it’s only an alternative. And another alternative is to stop thinking about your body mechanics (your stroke angles, arm angles, body angles and such) as fixed. They rarely are.
I can’t even tell you what my own forward stroke angle is. There certainly is little fixed about it - even given a fixed feather angle. The last time I used an unfeathered paddle, I noticed I planted wrong every once in a while. But for the most part, my body mechanics quickly transitioned over to using an unfeathered paddle. I certainly didn’t just keep on using an improper plant because my body just works a certain way. I didn’t continue raising my elbows exactly the same because that’s just the way my body does a forward stroke. There was nothing so fixed about anything in my body mechanics other than habit.
I have my own opinion on how I like a paddle set up for what I enjoy, and I try not to push it around. I usually tell folks that ask as a very general-level question that people use different feather angles, and unfeathered is a very popular way to go. And I’ll usually try to correct people when they say that you have to cock your wrists when you use a feathered paddle. Here the OP stated “I have my paddle blades offset so rotate my wrists with each stroke.” You can start fixing that without ever putting the paddle down. Thank goodness I’ve always tried adapting my body angles and movements seeking improvement. It’s always harder to use new muscles, so you have to ease into changes most of the time. It might feel awkward and even harder at first. Any competitive athlete knows that the answer doesn’t lie in how it feels the first time you try something differently. It lies in the presence or absence of improvement over continued practice.
There may be something to the paddle angle (high or low) matching your feather angle. I imagine it could come more prominently into play the more intense your forward stroke becomes. But in large part, I see people’s feather angles as more of a constant than their high or low angle paddling style. In other words, they change along higher and lower paddle angles without changing feather angles, so there’s some good degree of adaptability there. But there may be an ideal within that adaptability?
Think Greenland Paddle
Used to have the sort of discomfort you describe. Now its gone.
I recommended
changing or removing the feather on the paddling, not stating that if you remove the feather, you’ll eliminate the problem. One could, as you point out, also alter one’s stroke, but this is not as good a long term solution. You will probably ask why and I’ll give you the answer.
When one makes an adjustment to an already learned skill, there is a tendency to maintain the adjustment for a while, but when under stress (or periods of lapsed concentration), the tendency is to revert to the original behavior. This is pretty well documented and with an activity as repetitive as paddling, the tendency to revert to the “wrong” behavior feels natural (since it feeling like the right thing to do is how it initially became an established behavior).
One can paddle at varying degrees of feather until one finds the motion that most avoids potential wrist injury more easily than one can change one’s paddling style. That one be ideal, of course. What we have here, though, is an acute injury, and the result we are looking for is to stop doing more injury, even if the long term change to style will be beneficial in the long term. Learning a new skill while the injury is fresh will not likely promote healing.
As I said, I paddle unfeathered, but not because of injury. Those who are interested can read the wall of text that follows my name. I still maintain that one can paddle incorrectly with a paddle, feathered or unfeathered, and injure oneself, but that one is more likely to have to cock the wrist with a feathered paddle. If that is not what is happening here, fine. I suggested altering the feather, not remove it.
Rick
The story:
After paddling with a feathered paddle for a few years, I found myself in a full storm. The winds were 35+ (gusting to over 50, according to the weather report, though I had no way of measuring same at my location). The feather adjustments on the paddle were insufficient to keep the paddle from being lifted by the beam winds. On every stroke the paddle was catching air and being blown. Since I hold the paddle loosely it would occasionally blow out of my hand rather. Others, who tended to grip the paddle firmly were effectively performing a high brace and this caused more than one capsize.
After a couple of rescues and having my blade blown out of my retrieving hand, I removed the feather and realized that Hutchinson was right. Feathering can, in some conditions, be more trouble than it is worth.
Since then, (20+ years), I’ve paddled unfeathered. My observations are exactly the same as what Hutchinson said in his book - the feathered paddle is only useful when paddling in a headwind (which, for me, is vitually never, by the way). This is because the blade face, when recovered, is parallel to the water and has almost no resistance to a headwind. In all other instances where there are high winds, the unfeathered paddle is better. In calm or modest conditions, feathering doesn’t seem to matter much, at all, since the blade face that is parallel to the water has little chance of providing lift to the paddle.
So, for this reason, I advise sea kayakers I work with to learn to paddle unfeathered. It has the added advantage of not forcing the power wrist to be cocked or stressed at the end of the stroke and may help avoid or reduce injury. Overall, I find that the only big disadvantage was that I had to relearn the setup to my roll, but that was fairly minor.
might feel differently if I were using a thin greenland blade or if I wanted to adopt a higher angle stroke than I tend to use, but this is what works for me.
Yup. Still no right or wrong.
I’ve paddled in sustained 45 knot winds gusting higher. At those wind speeds, you’ve got to be careful with your paddle no matter what. Winds on your beam are certainly going to grab your feathered blade and lift it more strongly.
I would imagine I have fairly equal experience traveling in every direction in relation to the wind. The big thing I’ve noticed is that it is most difficult to make progress directly into wind and waves. Any offset from directly head-on makes forward progress a little easier. On your beam, your forward stroke can even fall apart to some degree, having to do some bracing, but you’ll still make forward progress. Directly into the wind it’s very easy to be brought to a standstill, and it can be very difficult to make progress at all.
The other piece for me is breaking out through surf. When they’re breaking higher than your head, anything you can do to lessen the heavy push back can be a difference maker.
So I figure I leave myself the bigger advantage in the face of the most difficult circumstances. But I understand that it’s not really a right or wrong thing. And many feel beam waves leave them more susceptible to capsize. But even in group paddle situations where people have felt uneasy with beam waves, it is head-on wind and waves that have been the show-stoppers. So it’s left me content with my setup, where I haven’t heard a true argument-winner either way.
“So, for this reason, I advise sea kayakers I work with to learn to paddle unfeathered. It has the added advantage of not forcing the power wrist to be cocked or stressed at the end of the stroke”
This is the thing that people can’t help themselves about when making the unfeathered argument. A feathered blade doesn’t force the wrists to be cocked. Actually, a step further, it’s best to take “power wrist” out of the equation too. Unfeathered doesn’t have that advantage. I would agree that improper control of feather angle is an additional piece of the equation if you decide to go feathered. Again, I’m guessing I don’t think muscle memory is as fixed as you do. For me, the development of ache or strain has been the best teacher for developing new muscle memory.
In this case, the learned use is wrist-cocking with a feathered paddle. And I would definitely recommend full attention and muscle memory development of straight wrists, whether with a non-feathered or a feathered paddle. Be good to yourself.
For the most part
we agree. I recommend that anyone learning to paddle do themselves the favor of learning to paddle without feathering in addition. It is simply a useful skill and there are conditions where it may come in handy, even if you paddle feathered most of the time. I probably should have stated that.
“This is the thing that people can’t help themselves about when making the unfeathered argument. A feathered blade doesn’t force the wrists to be cocked.”
While true, the training I received many years ago was that at the beginning of the recovery phase of the stroke one turned the paddle with the wrist to prepare for the next stroke. I threw that and the power hand, or “power wrist” once I started paddling with open hands (I do not grip the paddle). I saw no reason for a power side concept .
"I’m guessing I don’t think muscle memory is as fixed as you do. "
Not so much muscle memory as that once under stress, people revert to their first learned behavior. I’ve coached enough and seen this happen often enough to believe this to be true.
Example: A policeman I used to play water polo with was in his first shootout after 10+ years on the force. He reached for his cuffs in the location where he’d been trained, as a rookie, to put them and found that they weren’t there.
This happens, not perhaps to everyone, but it happens. So a person who is calm and relaxed while practicing rolls may not repeat that learned behavior once they actually NEED to roll, but a behavior they learned before they refined the technique.
…
Part about pain being a learning tool deleted, because it is all too true.
“In this case, the learned use is wrist-cocking with a feathered paddle. And I would definitely recommend full attention and muscle memory development of straight wrists, whether with a non-feathered or a feathered paddle. Be good to yourself.”
I included this because it is the crux of the matter. It doesn’t matter if you have the most perfect and efficient stroke in the world (which, if you do, more power to you), what matters is that the stroke you have does not cause or aggravate injury. Once that is developed, refinement can be made.
Rick
Follow up.
Purpose of this post was to see if anybody suffered similar injuries and what they did about it (home remedies). I received some great advice and appreciate the expertise of the forum. You guys are the best. Great discussion on feathered paddles. I thought a feathered paddle was the norm so to cut down on wrist fatigue. I have always used a feathered paddle without mishap. I also utilize a loose grip on the paddle. I will need to investigate this further next time I’m out paddling. Here is a follow-up on my Dr visit yesterday. Dr scheduled x-rays and examined the wrists/hands. Some arthritis exists around wrist but not too bad. He also stated I have tendonitis for sure. No carpal tunnel. Most pain is centered around my thumbs. He said my thumb joints located at base of hand and wrist were extremely swollen and loaded with arthritis which was no surprise to me. This explains the pain and inability to grip items. After some plying around the wrists and hands he determined I have loose tendons. Not loose like disconnected but not tight. He was able to flex my wrists/hands much further than normal. Not flexible in an up and down motion but repositioning the whole hand. He said the flexibility issue wasn’t a big deal and that’s just my genetic make-up. Have to admit I was surprised how supple my wrists were. The only problem with loose tendons is I am susceptible to injury. My options were surgery on my thumbs, cortisone shots or nothing. I’m tired of surgeries so opted for a cortisone shot at the base of each thumb and one in my right wrist. First time a cortisone shot ever hurt. Thumbs are still sore and it’s been almost 24 hours. He said it will start feeling better in about 3-4 days. He told me to lighten my load for a while but it is what it is and go do my thing. As for my home remedies, rest is key. He recommended Tylenol when needed, plus heat prior to anything strenuous then ice when complete. I will try those carpal tunnel wrist braces you see in the drug stores. He said they may help. I was hoping to head out on Puget Sound Saturday but it will have to wait until next week. I am confident I will be good to go in a couple weeks. Again, rest is key which many of you suggested. Home projects will be put on hold. I was getting ready to pour a concrete slab. Guess that will have to wait. Thank you all again for your comments. Sincerely, the Hammahamma.
that’s what I’m saying
I’m saying the level of stroke adjustment is limited by proper stroke mechanics and the mechanics of the human body.
I’m not suggesting removing feather. What I am suggesting is that one may adjust feather angle such that no wrist rotation is required to plant the blade at the proper angle given a certain angle of stroke.
I’ve had this proposed by two different credentialed and experienced instructors on two different occasions.
I look at it as a choice: one can adjust body mechanics, or one can adjust a button on a shaft. Which is easier, and which is less consequential? For me it’s a no-brainer.